Seoul police have publicly identified 26-year-old Kim Seong-woo as the suspect in the killing of his mother-in-law and the alleged abduction of his wife in Songpa District. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency disclosed his name, age and photograph on Oct. 19 after a review committee approved the release.
- Suspect
- Kim Seong-woo, 26
- Incident date
- Oct. 11, 2026
- Disclosure date
- Oct. 19, 2026
The committee said the seriousness of the harm, the alleged brutality of the method and the strength of the available evidence supported disclosure. It also cited the public interest in preventing repeat offenses and other crimes. His information is scheduled to remain on the agencyโs website for 30 days from 6 p.m. on Oct. 19.
Kim is accused of going to a home in Munjeong-dong at about 5:38 a.m. on Oct. 11, fatally stabbing his mother-in-law, who was in her 50s, and forcing his 23-year-old wife into a vehicle. The couple were involved in marital litigation, according to the reports. Kim had previously been subject to a domestic violence restraining measure, and the alleged attack occurred 11 days after that measure ended.
Arrest followed a search extending to Gangwon Province
Police tracked Kim to a mountainous area in Yangyang County, Gangwon Province, and arrested him at about 12:35 p.m. that day. His wife had been released in the area and was reported to have sustained minor abrasions. The allegations under investigation include killing an ascendant relative and aggravated confinement.
The disclosure decision does not determine Kimโs guilt, which remains subject to the criminal process. Police were expected to transfer the case to the prosecution on Oct. 20. Investigators and prosecutors will next assess the evidence supporting each allegation, including the sequence of the attack, the forced journey and the circumstances surrounding the earlier protective restriction.